Snooker table dismantling, transportation and relocation – use GCL Billiards for this specialist service

We are getting a lot of inquiries to remove full size snooker tables and just getting rid of them , TAKE THEM AWAY FREE people say , this is not a FREE SERVICE I’m afraid , two fitters wages van use Fuel insurances all have to be paid for .
We offer a recycling service at a cost of removing , but we have to take the table all apart and remove all none recycling waste from it, cloth rubber metal tacks screws and bolts all have to be removed for our recycler to take the wood away , the slate is also recycled into fire places , but these have to be polished cut to size to make into a fireplace .
the cost to remove a table and recycle is down to distance , BUT please note we do not now take tables up or down stairs , we only remove Ground floor tables with no more than a couple of steps involved which we can ramp .
We used to do the stair work but as you get older this has become too much for us .
We are both in our 60’s now .

I came out of the Army in the year of 1976 , and started to work for my uncle’s firm Trent Valley Pool & Snooker tables Leisure firm in Chettles industrial Estate and office on lincoln Street basford .
I worked alongside my cousin Gary Hume and A sub contract billiard fitter called Mick Robb who had a firm called Belvoir billiards .
I stayed at Trent Valley Leisure for 4 years , then on advice from Mick Robb , I left and moved to Elston & Hopkin of Goldsmith Street Nottingham .
although I still did a bit of work for my Uncle Ron and cousin Gary over the years while I worked for Elston & Hopkin , mainly at weekends or evenings
and my boss at Elston & Hopkin did knew that I helped them out now and again . although their work and sales where nationwide and E&H where local east midlands mainly very little outside a 50 to 80 mile radius
.so no conflict of interest .
John hopkin was a very good Employer and Boss .

In 1980 Elston & hopkin where just being relocated from the very old Empire Theatre Building on goldsmith Street Nottingham where they had a billiard hall and a very fine fitted out Solid Mahogany sales counter for billiard table spares . cue sales and so on .
I also got married in 1980 to my Wife Carol , who I am happy to say we are still together after 39 years of marriage and have two Daughters Helen and Kimberley and in 2018 our first Grand child Emily arrived .~
Sorry no Boys to carry on the business .
Elston & hopkin moved into a workshop on Canal Street , also now demolished , and then into the Newark Street premises from 1980 .
having a 18 table billiard hall , office and workshop on the top floor .
of Davisella house right on the corner of Newark street & Manvers Street .
Elston & hopkin moved out in the early 2000s and sold out to Universal logic in 2004 , I went with the firm to work out of a warehouse in Gainsborough Lincolnshire for the next 7 years .
I look back on the 43 years I have been working as a Billiards fitter .
I have learnt from everyone around me from my Uncles firm and Gary Hume to Mick Robb who was a big influence in my work , to Roger Perczynski and Alan Pykett at Elston & hopkin .
I also learnt a bit of Computer presentation and promotion from my last boss Ted Roberts .
I have had my ups and downs , but became self employed in May 2012 when I had started GCL billiards .


I have met some characters , and worked for some very famous people , as you can imagine it is not everyone who has a room for a full size billiard table , and most celebs and sports personalities do at sometime in their life have ownership or inherit through a house sale a full size table .
But I get as much satisfaction working for normal working folk like myself as I do the high society and famous clientele .
I look upon myself as the Caretaker in my time period of the billiard tables I work on .
I am now approaching 65 years of age , and starting to feel the aches and pains of fitting such heavy tables .
a bit of arthritis , a bad knee joint from my football days , and the normal getting old feeling that you feel creeping up on you .
To the point that upstairs locations are now null and void and no go areas .
let the younger fitters lift slate upstairs or into a basement .
So I do not do this type of heavy lifting anymore , one bad job could put me off work for a long time so why risk it , just ground floor to ground floor locations and the van loading if I wish to carry on to my 70’s
I do not know how long I will be doing this line of work , but I do aim to get to 70 years old at least full time .
So at least another 5 years and two months to go yet .
HEALTH PERMITTING of course .
and maybe do 3 days a week then 2 days a week until retirement , but it is not unusual for 80 year old fitters to still be fitting tables and doing Re-cloths , At Elston and Hopkin they had an old fitter called Joe doing it until he was 80 odd years old .
he fully retired just before I started there .

We do not own a snooker or pool club , but if you do require to find a club to play local to us , try Stapleford cue Club they are the closest snooker club to me 2 mile down the road .
Stapleford Cue club is situated at
148 Derby Road behind the pizza hut take away .
Stapleford
Nottingham.
NG9 7AY
tel 01159 394 504

if you are very close to Derby then try
Cueball
under rollerworld access to right in carpark
Derby DE21 4AW
tel 01332 360924

other side of Nottingham then try
Newark cue club
41 Barker Gate
NG24 1UA
tel 01636 612030

I get many phone calls asking if we are open to book a table to play on ?
We are not advertised as a snooker club , we are a Billiards /Snooker / Pool table or as a collective a Cue sports table MAINTENANCE company
This means we work on tables repairing or maintaining them .
our other business is long term contract of coin operated pool table hire to pubs and clubs we do not own our own club .
I am sorry to say it is getting beyond a joke at how many people phone us up sometimes at 12 to 2am in the morning and Today ( Christmas Day ) of all days to ask what time we shut or are we open today.
we suspect these are Taxi Drivers knocking off work or taking a break and wanting somewhere to play snooker or pool .
I do not know of any all nighter snooker clubs most close at 12pm at the latest .

but just to refresh what we are about .

This is what we do

If you require to book a table try Stapleford cue club they are the closest snooker/pool club to me
AND THIS WHAT A SNOOKER CLUB LOOKS LIKE

stapleford cue club

Cueball in Derby pool room and plenty of full size snooker tables

Newark cue club 41 Carter gate Newark Nottinghamshire NG24 1UA ………….tel 01636 612030 for booking to play on pool and snooker tables .

Hunters Bar Grantham 1 Union Street , Grantham next to lidl’s , NG31 6NZ……………… tel 01476 579493
Hunters bar has 7 UK pool , 4 american pool , and 6 full size snooker tables to play on .

We often get offered free full size tables , if we have someone who is willing to pay for collection and to deliver and set up we do go down that route first …if we have no one we then go to plan 2 which is recycle and there is a cost to that .

So I am pleased to say we do have one client who is a Charity adventure site based just below Birmingham , and they would be most grateful for a Donated FREE to collect full size snooker table with all its accessories , to put to good use .
They are willing to pay GCL Billiards for dismantle loading , delivery and unload and set up .
If you are in a situation where a loved one has passed and left a house with a full size table in , or about to move or sell a house and the table has to be out quick .
Then this is your chance to make that happen at no cost to yourself .

ALL WE ASK IS THE TABLE BE ON GROUND FLOOR , FOR COLLECTION AND IN GOOD CONDITION .
NO MULTI STEPS OR STAIRS PLEASE , one maybe two steps would be ok .

we have had them in the past , but no free tables at the moment to pass on to a good cause

https://gclbilliards.com/another-free-full-size-table-near-grantham-lincolnshire/

https://gclbilliards.com/offers-for-sale-square-leg-riley-square-leg-modern-cushions-and-pockets-wakefield-location/

https://gclbilliards.com/free-full-size-riley-snooker-table-in-leicester-upstairs-location-though-but-nice-table/

https://gclbilliards.com/urgent-free-full-size-snooker-table-in-derby-nottingham-border-close-to-m1-junction-25-must-go-by-end-of-june-or-middle-of-july-at-latest/

https://gclbilliards.com/free-full-size-riley-regis-snooker-table-house-sale-forces-a-give-away-and-there-is-more-givaways-too/

Above just a few that have been given away free
If you have anything like the above , please contact us , it is very hard to give tables away due to the cost of having one relocated , so to get someone ready to have one is a bonus .
and very rare to find someone to pay the removal and set up costs .

Contact Geoff Large on

c.large@btinternet.com

with photos and confirmation it is on Ground floor .

Trip over from Long Eaton to my Home raised and schooled Town of Beeston Nottingham .
To re-cloth in Strachan 6811 Tournament Cloth …Not as popular a club for Snooker these days .
More of an Entertainment club for weekend shows now .
But they do still wish to provide the facilities of Snooker & Pool and even Bar Billiards in this Social club
Re-clothed 5 years ago , now well due , we start to transform them over the coming year one at a time.
First up Table 1 , an old Billiard top plate table circa pre 1895 .
We will be visiting again around April / May time for the far table to be done .
And then at the end of the year for the middle table .
We may also be changing table one cushions to a more modern cushion and pockets .
As I do have a nice set of cushions taken from another table which will be a nice upgrade for them and cost effective once plugged and drilled to fit this table .

In Beeston we have seen closures of a few Clubs and places with Full Size snooker Tables since Mid 1970s , for instance these are the places that do not have Tables anymore or reduced them within the Beeston borough boundary , due to cost cutting or closed down and demolished

Beeston Billiard hall villa Street 10 full size tables gone . = Demolished for Flats
Plessey Club 4 Full size tables gone , Demolished for Houses
Fire Station one full size gone .. now a very large high rise STUDENT FLATS for Nottingham Uni . Nick named Little china due to how many Chinese students are at Nottingham and living in Beeston .
Beeston Fields Golf Club 2 full size gone , more of a Golf and Wedding Venue now
I think British legion has gone down to one table so one full size gone from there , still going JUST .
Ambulance station closed 10ft gone from here
Lenton Abbey Essoldo Beeston demolished 16 full size Tables gone
Conservative club three full size , down to two so one gone
Manchester unity club one full size gone .
Chilwell high road not in Beeston but just outside , but village hall has one full size gone too .

I may have missed some out as we had Beeston Boilers and other large firms in the area that may have had tables .

That’s 38 Full size snooker tables gone from Beeston in my time as a Billiards fitter .
( Not Counting all the private houses that had a full size snooker table like Beeston Fields Drive )

on the plus side , one of the Plessey Tables survived to Chilwell Golf Club
the 3rd table that came from Conservative club to a Private House in Beeston .

so I am happy that a club like the Victory Club in Beeston is doing something to maintain Snooker as a viable
sport in Beeston , even if on a budget …as they say Use it or Lose it .

A few photos of a table we set up for a client ( Gary ) and the work that we carried out on it .
We dismantled and collected this table for our client which he stored at his old house shed /Garage lock up , while his new build snooker room at his new house was being built .
We returned and Gary had polished up the table which was already in good condition having been restored by Burroughs and watts in 1959 .
We estimate that the table is circa 1920s , give or take 10 years each way .
We set the table back up , leveled the frame , and place the slates on and filled the joints , we then re-rubbered the steel cushions in best yellow dot Northern rubber .
We cut the pockets opening using the old B&SCC templates as a guide .
We then re-clothed the cushions in Hainsworth thicker smart cloth , thicker because they would wear out quick if we put match cloth on the cushions . Cushions take a lot of hammer for the balls so for longer life we and other billiard fitting firms always use the thicker alternative cloth on the cushions .
We put Hainsworth match cloth on the slate bed for speed .
and replaced the nets and leathers with Peradon UK quality nets and leathers , we put the nylon plastic rails on because metal rails rings wear out nets very quick , the plastic ring rails the nets last three times as long .
Have a look at the photos , for stage by stage install and fitting .

We left an end badge GCL Billiards for our client to fit if he wishes to the end cushion that does not have the Burroughs and watts plate on it . We would never fit a badge on without permission .

The Burroughs and watts plate fitted in 1959 we think , which is not the original steel vacuum plate badge .
as you can see was larger and has been filled in with a bit of oak insert .
The steel cushions had B59 stencilled on them which I have been informed was the last time it was re-rubbered and new blocks fitted .
Also the old rubber we took off was manufactured in 1958 as that had a date code of 58 FSM
Which means 1958 Full size moulded rubber .

Not sure what the 1123 stands for , but to the left is B&W = Burroughs & Watts
I – 58 we think January 1958 when the rubber was manufactured … FSM = full size Moulded .
And on the back of the steels was B59 = last refurbed 1959 in B&Watts workshops .

The table before Gary purchased it , in its own billiards Garden Room in a very large country house
installed here in 1959 . note old Burroughs and Watts Lighting .

Back around the 16th December , At my age I take a few breaks in the sun .
I am also booked out now right up to to mid January and a few days are booked out after that too .
So I cannot take any more work on Before Christmas or New year .
Most fitters I know are now Fully booked out at this time of year
so you will find it very hard to find a fitter free for that Christmas table re-cloth or dismantle and move to relocate .
Same goes for Pool tables too , they are all booked out , you only have to read the web sites and Forums to see this .
I will be taking my phone with me but will not answer it for work related calls .
My Daughter is also at Home looking after the house and Dogs , but will not answer phone calls for Business line .

We have a client with a very nice home , that is now wishing to sell their very nice modern turned leg
full size Snooker table with Victorian repro lights .
the table when purchased new was a very expensive choice of table and lighting .
We have carefully dismantled the table and bubble wrapped all wood parts .
The table is now stored on site just below Manchester in what is known as the Footballers area .
Sir Alex Ferguson lives just up the road .
As you can see the wood work is not in bad condition and the lights are Victorian reproduction copies .
We are going to list this at a price that is very good buy for the buyer .
The table may require a re-cloth , the rubber is very good for rebound value and the nets and leathers are in good order .
You may wish to choose a re-cloth when you have it set back up or just fit the original cloth if that is ok for you .
If you wish for a price for a collection and set up …please ask Geoff at GCL Billiards for a price giving your current full post code to a Ground floor installation only .
The price of the table and lights do not include delivery and set up .

The table is £1350 or Very close offers , there are a few accessories with the table , long rests and balls and triangle etc .
The Grand Victorian reproduction lighting is £850 or Very close offers .

You could send your own courier to pick up the table then have a quote from any choice of Billiards firm to set the table up for you , or you could ask for a quote for an entire package to collect deliver and install from GCL Billiards who have 49 years personal experience of fitting billiard / Snooker and pool tables in fact any cue sports table .

Please study the following photos , which shows the actual table and lighting , plus how it has been professionally dismantled and store in one of the Dry garages on site by GCL Billiards .

All inquiries to Geoff or Carol Large at …..GCL billiards please .

c.large@btinternet.com